Latch-operating handle for automobile doors



A ril 22, 1930. R; MARPLE 1,

I LATCH OPERATING HANDLE FOR AUTOMOBILE DOORS Filed Feb. 18, 1927 -MRUCWZZZ IOZLO ,JWa/ pw,

- door-latch operating means of the type in Patented Air. 22, 1930 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE V BOLLO IABPLE, 01' CHARLOTTE, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR TO HANCOCK MANUFACTURING 00., OF JACKSON, MICHIGAN, A CORPORATION OF MICHIGAN LATCH-OPERATIN'G HANDLE FOR AUTOMOBILE DOORS Application fled February 18, 1927. Serial No. 169,188.

a The invention relates to an operator for. automobile door latches and has more especial reference to the mounting of the handle for the inside operator of an automobile door latch.

One of the requirements in'the mounting of handles of the character referredto is that the construction be such as to insure that the handle will not work loose and hence will effectually' prevent rattling. It is the object of this invention to provide such a mounting,

which is at the same time simple in construction and which lends itself readily to a rapid assemblingoperation.

I have herein shown for purposes of illustration my invention applied to an inside which the handle is mounted upon an operator spaced some distance from the latch mechanism prope Such operators are commonly employed in automobile doors of substantial width, hinged at their forward edges so that the latch proper, located in the free edge of the door, occupies a position substantially rearward of the passenger on the front seat of the car. The operator, being located forwardly in the door, is rendered more readily accessibleto the passenger and in addition to its fimction as a latch operator constitutes a door pull.

Figure 1 of the drawings is a fragmentary horizontal sectional view through a door showing my improved method ofmounting the handle on an operator such as that just referred to. s Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional view taken in the plane of line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a detached perspective view of one of the parts employed in the novel handle mounting.

Fig. 4 is a similar view of another part.

The door is constructedaccording to common practice to provide a recess or chamber latch proper located in the free edge of thedoor but not herein shown. The plate 9 carries a bearing member 13 encircling the stub shaft 11. In practice the operator 1s secured in position in the door upon the lock board 14 of the door which serves to close the recess 7 housing the casing 10 and connections with the latch. As thus secured in position the stub shaft 11 projects through an opening provided in the inside fabric or trim 15, to receive the handle 16.

' The outer end of the stub shaft 11 is formed with a serrated head 17 which is separated from the remainder of the shaft 11 by a re duced portion providing an annular groove 18. In this groove a ring 19 is secured, this ring (Fig. 2) being cut away at one side to form a substantially C-shaped member. The ring is rigidly secured in position in the groove as by swaging, to form a radial proj ection or collar of a diameter somewhat greater than the diameter of the stub shaft proper. Thus the ring constitutes an arcuate rib about the stub shaft between the serrated head 17 and the inner end of the shaft.

The ring 19 as thus secured in position serves to retain on the stub shaft an annular sleeve-like member 20 externally screw threaded. The inner end of said member is shaped (Fig. 3) to provide wrench-engaging flat surfaces 21 on opposite sides.- The member thus constitutes a nut rotatable on the stub shaft.

The handle 16 has' formed integral therewith apart 22 with which the nut 20 is adapted to coact to secure the handle in position. The part 22 is thus provided with a recess 23 and the peripheral wall of this recess is screw threaded as at 24 so as to coact with the external threads on the nut 20'. Above the recess 23 the member 22 has another but smaller recess 25 having its peripheral wall serrated to receive the serrated head 17. The recess 23 is of suflicient depth to accommodate the member 20 as well as the ring 19.

Assuming that the operator, with the exception of the handle, has been secured in position in the door with the stub shaft 11 projecting therefrom, the operationof securing the handle in position is as follows: A helically coiled spring 26 is inserted in the opening in the trim 15 about the bearing 13, this spring bearing at its inner end upon the lock plate 9. A trim plate or escutcheon 27 is then passed over the stub shaft and the nut 20, bearing against the outer end of the spring 26. The handleis now inserted in proper angular position over the serrated head 17 of the stub shaft and a: wrench is inserted between themember 22 of the handle and the escutcheon plate, the jaws of the wrench engaging the flat surfaces 21 of the nut 20. It will be seen that by rotating the nut 20, with the latter interengaging with the handle por tion 22, the handle will be drawn inwardly with an axial but nonrotative movement, the serrated head 17 engaging in the similarly serrated peripheral wall of the recess 25. As the handle approaches its innermost position,

' the escutcheon plate 27 is free to yield under the action of the spring 26 so as to permit of the continued rotation of the nut 20 until the handle has been rigidly secured upon the stud. In this operation it will be observed that when the nut has been firmly tightened, the rigid ring or rib on the stub shaft is securely clamped between the inner wall of the recess 23 on the one hand and the nut 20 on the other. Upon the withdrawal of the wrench, the escutcheon plate is forced outwardly by the spring into engagement with the inner face of the handle portion 22. Thus the shaft and the handle are secured together with great rigidity in such manner that the handle may be used to pull the door closed without danger of damage resulting to the assembly. Moreover, the assembly is such that the various parts cannot accidentally work loose during use.

The construction, it will be observed, is exceedingly simple, and while it serves effectually to secure the handle in position, the as semblingoperation is capable of being quickly and easily accomplished.

I claim as my invention:

1. A door latch operator comprising a stub shaft having at one end a head, a handlehaving a portion providing a recess adapted to receive said head; said head and recess being shaped to interengage to prevent relative rotational movement between them but permitting axial movement, a part rigid with the shaft and projecting radially therefrom beyond the periphery of the head, a nut rotatable on the shaft, said handle portion having a recess internally screw threaded to receive said nut, and said nut being operable to clamp said radial projection between it and the handle portion.

2. A door latch operator comprising, in combination, a shaft, a nut mounted for rotation on said shaft, a handle having a portion with which said nut is adapted to interengage to secure the handle on the shaft, an escutcheon plate encircling said nut and spring pressed into engagement with said handle portion, said nut having wrench-engagin surfaces normally concealed by said escutc eon plate.

The combination with a. door having a wall with a shaft projecting therefrom, a

rib rigid with said shaft, a rotatable externally threaded sleeve on said shaft bearing at one end against said rib, a bearingmember for the other end of the sleeve, a handle having a portion recessed to receive within it the shaft and rib thereon, said recess being adapted for threaded engagement with said sleeve whereby to draw said handle into abutting contact with one surface of said rib through pressure exerted by said sleeve against the opposite surface of said rib, and an escutcheon plate spring pressed into engagement with the inner edge of said handle portion.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto affixed my signature.

ROLLO MARPLE. 

